Family Buisness
by detrametal
Summary: The four Titans, Robin, Starfire, Raven and Cyborg have just confronted the three HIVE members and uncovered the existence of Slade, a mastermind that lurks within their city. But he is not alone, his only remaining family member seems to be as driven as he is. What is their goal? Why are they lurking within the shadows of the city? Will the Titans know before it crushes them?


Robin hauled Gizmo up by his shirt and scowled "Who is Slade?" crackled across the speakers in the lair.

But Slade was watching the screen as the lady from H.I.V.E. apologized, a voice behind him replied with a tone as calm and emotionless as his own "I knew they couldn't win, but I never figured they'd fail so… spectacularly…" behind his black and orange mask Slade smiled.

Outside though he didn't change "But they have done what we sent them to do"

His apprentice scoffed "If you had sent me we would never have to deal with them again"

Slade gripped the others shoulder "Yes, but remember, this isn't about getting them out of the way just yet, we have to gain an understanding of what they can do. I'd rather like to use them in the future"

The lady left and Slade removed his mask, as did his nephew. Slade smiled openly to the boy who shook his head "I have to admit though, if you gave them a decade they might make a good plaything…"

Slade chuckled darkly "You're getting much more evil than I am"

The other smiled sadistically "I got started earlier than you did" Slade only nodded.

* * *

Raven watched Cyborg play some racing game while Star tried 'cooking'…and to say it wasn't going well would be an understatement. She turned to Robin "I still think we need a fifth member, we nearly got beat by those three"

The leader sighed "Yeah, but where are we going to get another hero?"

Star giggled "We could get Friend Aqualad!"

Robin and Cy both grimaced and answered "No" Raven smirked and Robin blushed while Cy explained "I don't think he'd be of much help, he'd literally be a fish out of water."

A red alarm went off and Robin rushed over to the screen "Titans! Trouble at the research center!"

* * *

They got to the scene and found several humanoid robots moving things into a truck while a young man directed them with a voice and appearance very similar to that of the man that had been described as Slade. Robin yelled out "STOP!" the man turned "Are you Slade?"

They could hear his eyebrow rise "You honestly think I'm Slade? Wow, I knew you were only children, but I didn't think you were completely incompetent." Robin leapt forward with a cry and the other Titans charged as well.

The enemy didn't attack, only dodged their attacks like it was child's play, Robin tried a flying knee only to be knocked out of the air with a sigh of contempt. Each projectile missed only by the smallest amount. While every close range attack was deflected by a knee, elbow, foot, anything including his head. As Robin flew into a wall for the eighth time Raven snarled out "This isn't working! We need something new!"

Cyborg snarled "TAKE THIS!" and threw an I-beam at the man with all his inhuman power rocketing the metal at near sonic speeds. Dust clouded their vision and the heroes waited for the cloud to fall, ready for action. Cyborg whispered out "no way…" as their opponent stood on top of the beam that stuck out of the ground like a lance.

Star whipped around "Where are the robots?"

Robin turned and stammered "G-gone!"

The Slade look alike nodded and spoke with a tone that spelt out 'duh' he stepped off the spike impaled in the ground "Of course, all I was doing way buying time" he held a small ball in his hand "While it wasn't fun playing with you, my master and I are busy. So long Titans" and the ball erupted in a cloud of smoke and he vanished.

Robin scowled "He was only the apprentice and he still threw us around…"

* * *

Slade stood with his hands behind his back as his only family member walked in with the bots shouldering the weight of the barrels "How did they do?"

A scoff behind the smaller mask made him smile, they both knew he had been watching "If I said they were a joke it would be an insult to every punch line that ever existed"

Slade defended with a "But you've been trained since birth for combat, you can't expect them to be able to do much with your amount of training"

A soft growl echoed as the younger took off his mask and opened the fridge to pull out the ingredients "They didn't even make me use my powers, nor did they even scratch my armor."

Slade put a hand on his near-son's head "And I'd be scared if they did" he quietly continued "I lost my wife, my children, my sister and your father, you kept me sane. If something happened to you…"

His apprentice, nephew, son, brother, and friend turned and hugged him "I can promise you only one thing. I will be at your side until the end. Then I'll see you again after mine" Slade smiled.

* * *

Robin pulled up a picture of the man they had met three days ago "Guys, this is Slade's apprentice, all we know is Slade calls him 'Ningen' the Japanese word for human."

Starfire tilted her head "Is he the son of Slade?"

Robin shrugged "Don't know, he may not even be a blood relation. I really just don't know…nobody does"

Raven sighed "I'm going out, don't wait up" the clock read exactly 9:53 pm, right on time.

* * *

The small café "Moon's Day" catered to those who generally wanted quiet and were a bit introverted. People like Raven. The café was small and dim with two and a half of the walls with booths opening towards the stage where occasionally people spoke, told a story, read some poetry or whatever they wanted, several round tables sat on the open floor and gave the building a cozy, warm feeling.

Raven sat in the smallest booth, one built for two, and ordered a small tea. Marsha, the owner, sat next to her for a moment "Still waiting for someone?" she winked.

Raven rolled her eyes with a small bit of a smile peaking at her lips "Yeah, but he doesn't exist" it was their normal banter. Marsha stood up with a smirk and walked to the kitchen to get Raven's regular at the bar that took up a half wall-the last wall held only the door and the stage. Said girl sighed as a few people asked her if she was "The Raven" from the Teen Titans, while she wasn't rude she did make it clear that she was only here to relax and did not want to be interrupted. She had gone through this several times, people would gush over her every time she said yes.

Until him. He glanced over and then ignored her, he sipped his tea and listened to the person speaking at the mic, after a long while he turned to Raven "You're Raven?"

She nodded and expected him to gush "You gonna' tell me what a great job I'm doing or give me any 'advice'?" but after her nod he had turned away. Thus he had her attention.

He would walk in like clockwork, 10:23 and leave just the same at 11:25, after a week of seeing him Raven finally called over Marsha "Do you know that guy's name?"

Marsha shook her head and grumbled "Such a cute guy but he doesn't talk very much, I think I've heard him speak like ten words total. But I can see why you're interested" and she gave a growl "He's got the body of a god" and she quickly left.

She watched with some interest as he walked to the small bar that was set up for people to order food and drinks, he sat on the same stool he did every day. Most occupants of Moon's Day wore black with black and maybe some other dark colors, that's one of the many reason's he stood out, his spiky hair was pure white and he wore an untucked pure white long-sleeve button up that clashed dramatically with his highly tanned skin and the black dress slacks he wore, the black dress shoes were polished until they could mirror a reflection, the only other adornment was necklace, an iron chain that held two rings, a set of marriage bands, both had engravings around the entire band and obviously were custom made. He walked back to a chair closer to the stage with a porcelain cup on a saucer and one hand in his pocket, his shirt had lifted slightly and she caught a glimpse of a knife. Now that in itself was not odd, what was odd was that many of the patrons who owned knives had fancy ones, more decorative than useful. His was different, it was as simple as weapons came, one piece of metal with leather wraps around the handle and in a leather case that held the knife parallel to the floor up against his side.

She walked over "Care to join me at a booth?"

His eyes, a shade of red she didn't know could exist pinned her to the floor "Not really" and he turned back to the small book he had in his hand and took a sip of his tea. Raven felt her face heat up as he lightly tapped a plain metal band on his right index finger against the table, the metal was dull enough that she didn't see it on her first inspection. She hissed lightly under her breath and sat in the other chair. He didn't look up "And, may I ask, what led you to believe that I wanted to have that chair occupied?"

She smirked "Nothing, I decided I wanted to sit here for a change" he shrugged and she couldn't help but notice how wide his shoulders were.

Now, she didn't know it but the man she was sitting across from was very observant, a level that few if any before him had ever achieved. He had noticed everything she had done from the first moment he saw her, not from a point of feeling but because he was accustomed to, he had seen her walk in and had observed her. He sighed as his phone rang and he looked at the screen, it was that idiot…he could wait until 11:25, he growled under his breath, he told everyone that this time was his. He was snapped out of his thoughts when Raven continued "I never got your name"

His face didn't change "I never gave it"

After a silence she sighed "What can I call you?"

The side of his mouth she couldn't see pulled up slightly "Ms. Roth, you can call me Mr. C, seeing as you are hell-bent of speaking to me"

She smirked, score one for her, "And why do you say that?"

Without looking up from his book he retorted "Because you have been staring at me for the last thirty minutes, stopping only to keep from dropping your drink in your lap" she quickly revised the score, Raven-1 Mr. C -3.

Again the far side of his mouth flickered up, no need to tell her that he knew she drank the herbal tea specifically brought in from India that Marsha adored, nope, none at all. He quietly asked "Why are you so fascinated by me, Ms. Roth?"

She put on a blank face "Why do you ask?"

For the first time since he had sat down he closed his book, his eyes still fascinated her "Because I'm an ordinary person, a person that shouldn't attract the attention of one of the Titans, let alone the most attractive" she was stunned by how long he had spoke.

He stood up after seeing her daze and walked out the door, she rushed and threw her head out, "You called me attractive!?"

He looked over his shoulder and threw her a mischievous smirk and she ducked behind the door feeling her face flush a bright red. She looked at her watch, 11:25.

* * *

"S-so you're saying that Raven turned bright red?!" Slade was rolling on the floor laughing holding his sides. He was never so glad as to have his nephew wire those cameras everywhere

Ningen sighed, yes it was funny, but not that funny and watched the map flare with a quartet of dots that moved down the street towards a triangle, Dr. Light was robbing a bank. He set the camera up and pulled out a pot of coffee before pouring Slade and himself a cup and setting it aside. Dr. Light managed to batter the entire team before barely being beaten. Ningen sighed "Uncle…if you want to use them then something has to change, they nearly died against Light"

Slade sat up "What can we do, it's not like we can just bust into the tower and throw them…" he stopped at the look on his counterpart's face.

Ningen's smile was absolutely bloodthirsty "Oh, beloved Uncle, I plan to do just that…"

* * *

Gizmo, Mammoth and Jinx sat under the only light in the room, it's rays only brightening the immediate area until another light clicked on and reveled Slade sitting on his throne. Suddenly they were very nervous, they had failed him…now what was going to happen? He waved a hand and a robot walked over and put three chairs down, Jinx gulped before asking "S-sir, m-may I ask why we're here?"

Slade stared for a moment "you failed…but you managed to do something, therefore you have been brought back to me" Mammoth looked like he was going to have a nervous breakdown "but you will report, not to me, but to him" Ningen walked forward.

Gizmo snarled "That brat's not even older than us!"

Slade waved a hand and a large arena was lit "If you have a problem why don't you duel him for the right to control your fate?"

Gizmo chuckled "You won't stand a chance"

Ningen stepped into the arena and waited for the three who climbed in with gusto, or at least Gizmo did. A bell somewhere in the darkness rang and they fought. Ningen twisted his body around Gizmo's metal legs and knocked the bald brat unconscious with a kick to the temple and twisted the steel around Jinx in a straightjacket and zipped behind Mammoth and tied him to the elastic ropes that set the boundary for the ring and held a knife to Mammoth's neck "anyone else have an issue with my leadership?"

* * *

The Titans entered their tower to find the tv on and Ningen drinking tea and watching _Amistad_ with Jinx, Gizmo and Mammoth "Good evening Titans" they immediately shifted to battle positions, he took another sip "Raven, your choice in tea is superb. Robin, Cyborg, you really need something more intelligent in your movie selection, Starfire, I suggest learning a bit more about earthling digestion. Some of the ingredients you added are, shall we say, less than appealing" he hadn't looked at them through the entire exchange.

The Titans sat ready for a fight for ten minutes before Raven sat down on the couch cautiously, Robin stood with mouth agape "Raven! What are you doing?!"

She shrugged "Well, he isn't going to attack us so why bother with trying to fight? He was toying with us last time so I don't think we can forcibly remove him…" she shrugged somewhat helplessly and watched Anthony Hopkins portray John Quincy Adams.

Gizmo opened his mouth when his master cut him off "Gizmo, remember our deal." he nodded and closed his mouth around some popcorn "Very good Raven, your logic, as all ways, is flawless. But I came to deliver two messages" Raven watched him take a sip of tea, somehow he could drink it without moving his mask "The first is that you are far too weak to do anything in this city"

Robin growled and threw a birderang and screamed "SCREW YOU!" the weapon exploded when it hit a wave of pink energy, Jinx had a dead serious look on her face as she shook her head at the boy wonder.

Ningen nodded to the sorceress "Thank you Jinx, Robin, think about it, you nearly lost to _Dr. Light_, now if that isn't painfully embarrassing I really don't know what is…"

Starfire hovered off the ground slightly and watched as Cyborg followed Raven's lead and sat on one of the chairs in the kitchen. The couch now contained Ningen Raven and the pink sorceress as she sat leaving Mammoth and Gizmo to lean against the walls. The princess moved to her pudding that bubbled away in the oven "Enemy Ningen?" he hummed to signal he was listening "…what was the second message you were to deliver?"

The mastermind stood and twisted his neck until a crack was heard and turned to her "I'm a villain, that means that I'm more human than human, I heed my nature and stay true to it, I'm greedy and when I see something I want I will not stop until I have it and anyone who gets in my way becomes my enemy"

The one eye exposed by his mask, an obsidian iris met each of them "Get stronger for me Titans, I need something to play with" then he kissed Raven, her shock was near palpable until his tongue slipped into her mouth, her gasp turned into a short moan before he walked to the kitchen and kissed Starfire, she tried to fight the odd sensation but it wasn't something she wanted to end, he walked out with the trio following him.

When Robin got over his shock he growled "Damn him! We'll get him, and when we do I'm gonna' put him in the deepest cell I can!" the other words that came out of his mouth shouldn't be repeated and he stormed off to his room leaving Raven and Star with bright red across their cheeks as he went to run scans on the tower to make sure that their visitors didn't do anything.

Raven stared at Starfire and only muttered "Wow"

Star answered with the oh, so eloquent "indeed"

* * *

Slade stared at his nephew "Are you sure this is the best way to do it?"

Ningen leaned into the wall "Yes, I wouldn't expose myself unless I was absolutely sure that it would work"

Jinx watched the two with great interest "Ningen, sir, I have to agree with Slade, this isn't a good thing to do like this, there are too many things we can't control…"

Behind his mask the younger smiled "But we do control certain aspects such as who could break out of jail for the next several weeks…why are you fighting so hard on this point? Since we left the tower you've been like this" after a moment he came to a conclusion "You're jealous of the two Titan girls."

Slade sighed, Ningen's bad habit…rather, one of them, was acting up. Ningen tilted his mask to the side just enough to kiss the sorceress who flopped on the floor with a blush and dazed expression, "Stupid habits" he muttered.

Mammoth quietly asked "Sir, what habit?"

Slade swirled the wine in his hand "When he was a child everything got taken from him in less then a day. So now everything that is even related to him gets his brand, you'll probably get something as well." and right on cue Ningen walked over and handed Mammoth a new uniform.

Keeping with the Slade inspiration the black suit's right shoulder was orange and while it did sport that same 'M' harness the bolts were black and the bracelets were gone replaced with full orange bracers with the 'S' emblazed in black down the entire length.

Gizmo appeared in a similarly changed suite and Ningen spoke "Everything near me must be strong, protected. If you watch out for me I will do the same for you"

* * *

Raven had shifted out of her little booth at "Moon's Day" in favor of sitting nest to the mysterious Mr. C, who, as always, didn't say anything. This night he was playing a portable system with the volume off, his eyes were completely entranced by the rainbow of colors that flooded the screen as he dove into the world. His finger twitched and the character dove behind the enemy to drive a sword into it's back "Are you done staring?"

She jumped "Who said I was staring?" for one the blush on her cheeks, but I digress.

He pointed to her tea "you've had that for nearly half an hour and you still haven't taken a sip"

He saved and flicked the power on the game off and walked out like he always did, Marsha took the spot and leaned against her palm "So what happened?"

Raven scowled lightly "Nothing, he's even more closed mouthed than the dead…" Marsha nodded and vacated. Through out the night others took the seat and made an attempt to start a conversation. They failed.

Her communicator blared out it's sound and she opened it up, Robin's face appeared "Raven! Get to the oil plant! It's Ningen!" she phased into the large energy bird and took off.

She landed as the others arrived and they watched as the H.I.V.E. trio stood with Ningen off to the side as the bots loaded barrel after barrel into the back of a van. Robin, his habit kicking in, walked out of the protective dark and chimed "What, pumps run empty?"

Jinx hissed "Did your wit? C'mon you're so cliché, walking out of the dark with a corny pun!" Gizmo and Mammoth nodded.

Ningen sighed and gripped his mask "I'm not going to joke around tonight Titans. If you do not get out of my way right now I will personally allow you to view the Gates of Hell." the chill in his words caused Robin to tremble as he threw a bomb, rather then exploding close to the villains it soared far over their heads and hit the top of the building.

The sound of stressed metal pulled the heroes gazes up where they saw an oil tank on fire as it fell towards the other group. Their leader pushed the other three out of the way as the tanker crashed and white hot flames licked the ground, the H.I.V.E. rushed the tank with cries of "BOSS!" in horror.

Starfire stared at Robin in shock "Friend Robin how could you kill!?"

He stuttered out "I-I didn't mean to!" the metal tank screamed again and Robin asked Cyborg "is there anyway he could have survived?"

Cyborg's red eye flashed for a moment "No way Rob, the temp tops out at 1500 degrees Celsius, crematoriums get to about 1000 at most, he's toast"

At hearing the man's words Jinx fell to her knees while Gizmo and Mammoth growled, Mammoth started walked towards the blaze until Robin asked "What are you going to do?"

The large man turned "I'm going to find him" his firm voice brokered no argument.

"Now don't do that, I'm right here" Ningen walked out of the blaze with his armor blackened to lava rock while the whites of his obsidian black eyes were colored the same moving magma as the lines that twisted across and under his armor, through the cracks and burned across his skin. He turned to the Titans "You have three seconds to leave, three…two…one" and with that he appeared in front of Robin and delivered a trio of blows to the boy wonder's chest that landed with the sizzling of burning flesh and the masked one cried out in pain.

Within a few seconds all the Titans were utterly crushed. Raven and Star were slumped back to back as he took a few steps forward, his hand glowing from the intense heat. Gizmo stepped in front of him, between the two male Titans and their attacker "Boss, remember what Slade said…." Ningen nodded and with a flick and a hiss his hand returned to normal.

He patted the boy's shoulder and turned to the barely conscious Titans "Remember this….remember and grow strong" he pressed a foot down on Robin's head "for you are weak and I will crush you next time."

The bots waited in a large truck with the barrels and Ningen got behind the wheel as Gizmo, Jinx and Mammoth climbed in the cab. As they got to the base Ningen walked back to his room leaving the trio alone, bots unloading things in the bay behind them. Gizmo let out a breath explosively and felt his knees quake "Holy shit, that was the scariest thing I've ever seen!"

Jinx stuttered "I-I think they almost died tonight…" Mammoth didn't look like he was breathing "Mammoth? You okay?" then they caught what his super senses had picked up, the sound of metal being shredded like confetti.

As they rushed deeper into the complex they met with Slade "Stop." they froze and turned to face him "Don't interrupt his training, it's very important, he's very upset about what happened tonight. I suggest finding him in the morning"

* * *

That morning the Titans got a call, they rushed to the City Museum to see Asian looking man in a suite of armor facing Slade and Ningen, he shouted at the two villains in front of him "HA! You are the famous Slade?! Such a joke! And you Ningen, such a pity you are so weak, no wonder I was able to make your kids orphans"

Slade held up his arm to block Ningen "Warp, what did you say" Slade's arm was physically straining to keep his apprentice back.

Warp threw his head back "I took their little daddy and mommy away, how sad for them!"

For the first time that day the Titan's heard Ningen speak. His voice was not his own. Tight emotions filled his voice but rage overpowered his words and fell on them like a physical pressure "Warp. You have no right to abandon those children. Today you die" he leapt over Slade and with a blurred hand slashed the foolish mortal in half. As the corpse hit the floor with a sickening smack it burst into ash as a heat in excess of one million degrees Kelvin. His armor blackened as he clenched the bloody hand and heat beyond fire danced off his body and scorched chains erupted from the ground and wrapped around his limbs.

The sheer pressure Ningen was exerting was crushing the ground, cracks in the cement radiated outward like a spider web until Slade hugged the younger. In front of his enemies the man named Human cried. When his breath was battered and torn yet his own he turned to those who held no love for him "I swear to everything I hold dear, if you create an orphan you take them in. If you don't I will do everything in my power to make you suffer, you will know pain like no one before you" the Titans only sat stunned as he walked out of the building. Nothing stopped them and Warp's body was only ash.

* * *

At five they received another call. One from somebody they could never have expected. Robin picked up the phone to hear "Do not hang up, we have much to discuss, your team and I. Meet me at Cigno Bianco at seven, do dress nicely."

They did as they were told and the T-car pulled up and the valet took the car and they walked in to be totally stunned, the walls were painted a light cream and each fixture created a sense of comfort and expense, the waiter walked up to them and merely said "Titans, if you would follow me, Master Slade is waiting"

They followed the man until they saw a table for five in a corner, Slade sat wearing an expensive suit, dark silk and flawlessly hand crafted, his mask, however, stayed on. He motioned them to sit and ordered their drinks before he started "Relax, I am not here to do anything other then enlighten you" water was set for the Titans as a bottle of wine was set for Slade, he took an appreciative sip and the nodded, the waiter left and he continued "I do not have any plans for tonight either, I have cleared my schedule to speak with you"

Robin stared silently while Cyborg watched the trays of food that waiters carried by, Raven and Starfire watched Slade before Raven asked in her monotone "You said you wanted to talk, but about what?"

The masked man set down the beautiful crystal glass "I'd like to talk to you about my apprentice, if you have any questions for me as well I might answer" they watched silently as Slade took another sip of his wine "you think he went overboard with Warp."

Robin snarled "He tore the man to shreds and lit him on fire. Everything he's done points to him being a rabid dog. One that needs to be put down."

Slade tensed and hissed out tightly "Take care of how you speak of my only family."

Raven felt the fury of his aura and cowered slightly before saying "Tell us about that" the table looked at her oddly "We may not be on the same side but we can all feel grief"

Slade leaned back into his chair "How odd…heroes that would feel sorry for a villain. Well, I'll tell you that if you hold back for pity I will crush you. Do you still want to hear?" Could they fight knowing that this was the man behind the mask? Would he lie to them, play on their sympathies? How many half-truths would he tell them? This time it was Starfire who nodded.


End file.
